Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich put on a performance for the ages as she obliterated the women's marathon world record in Chicago on Sunday, taking nearly two minutes off the previous best to win in a time of two hours nine minutes 56 seconds.

Chepngetich ditched the competition by the halfway mark and ran through a chorus of cheers through the final straight as she claimed her third title in Chicago and crushed Ethiopian Tigst Assefa's previous record of 2:11:53, set last year in Berlin.

Ethiopia's Sutume Kebede crossed the line seven minutes and 36 seconds later while Kenyan Irine Cheptai (2:17:51) was third.

"This is my dream that has come true," said Chepngetich, whose time was originally recorded as 2:09:57 but was later adjusted.

Ruth Chepngetich, you are the Women’s World Record Holder! <a href="https://t.co/bkwlfamrvN">pic.twitter.com/bkwlfamrvN</a>

Her compatriot John Korir won on the men's side in 2:02:44.

Chepngetich set a blistering pace from the start, running the first five kilometres in 15 minutes flat and by the halfway mark she had built a 14-second cushion between herself and Kebede.

Television commentators were astonished as she ground through the course, comparing her attempt at a sub-2:10 marathon to the moon landing, and she only seemed to gain momentum as she sprinted through the final two miles.

Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, hunched over in utter exhaustion after breaking the tape and dedicated her performance to compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men's world record a year ago in Chicago and died in a car crash four months later.

"World record was in my mind," she said in televised remarks. "Chicago, as I said in the press, is like home."

Sifan Hassan wins Olympic women's marathon, claims 3rd medal of Paris 2024

Sifan Hassan traded elbows with Tigst Assefa with 150 metres left in the women's marathon Sunday, then passed her along the railing to win the race for her third distance medal of the Paris Games. Malindi Elmore of Kelowna, B.C. was 35th.

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands crosses the finish line with both of her arms raised and index fingers pointed to the sky to indicate she is No. 1 in the women's marathon at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 11, 2024.

Victorious Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands set an Olympic record time of 2:22:55 to defeat Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa and Kenya's Hellen Obiri on Sunday in Paris.

hassan-sifan-240811-1180

Tigist Assefa shatters women's marathon world record by more than 2 minutes in Berlin

Tigist Assefa broke the women's world record by more than two minutes Sunday at the Berlin Marathon. The Ethiopian runner Assefa ran two hours, 11 minutes, 53 seconds to break the previous women's record of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei at the Chicago Marathon in 2019.

A woman wearing running gear drops to her knees with arms outstretched, still wrapped in the finish line of a running race.

Tigist Assefa from Ethiopia wins the race with the new women's world record of two hours, 11 minutes and 53 seconds during the 2023 BMW Berlin-Marathon on Saturday in Berlin.

1698462947

The day began with a moment of silence at the starting line for Kiptum, who ran last year in 2:00:35, as runners took off under pristine conditions in the Windy City.

Korir stuck with a crowded men's lead pack through the first 30 kilometres before making his move and was nearly 30 seconds clear of the rest of the field by the 35-kilometre mark.

He glided through the final kilometres, holding his arms out wide as he finished his textbook performance in a personal best time for his first major title.

Ethiopia's Mohamed Esa was second in 2:04:39 while Kenyan Amos Kipruto (2:04:50) finished third.

"Today I was thinking about Kiptum," said Korir. "I had to believe in myself and try to do my best."

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich crosses the finish line to win her third Chicago Marathon, setting the women's world record with a time of two hours nine minutes 56 seconds on Sunday at Grant Park.

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich smashes women's marathon world record in Chicago

More Stories Like This